mortality

noun

mor·​tal·​i·​ty mȯr-ˈta-lə-tē How to pronounce mortality (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being mortal
Her husband's death reminded her of her own mortality.
2
: the death of large numbers (as of people or animals)
trying to reduce infant mortality
3
archaic : death
4
: the human race
that natural extinction to which all mortality is subjectThomas Paine
5
a
: the number of deaths in a population during a given time or place : the proportion of deaths to population : mortality rate
The mortality among the infected mounted daily.
b
: the number lost or the rate of loss or failure
the mortality rate of small businesses

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Thoughts on Mortality

Young people tend to assume they will never die, but a person's sense of his or her mortality generally increases year by year, and often increases greatly after a serious accident or illness. Still, many people refuse to change behaviors that would improve their chances of living into old age. Mortality rates are calculated by government agencies, insurance companies, and medical researchers. Infant mortality rates (the rate at which infants die in childbirth) provide a good indicator of a country's overall health; in recent years, the rates in countries like Iceland, Singapore, and Japan have been much better than in the U.S.

Examples of mortality in a Sentence

a leading cause of mortality
Recent Examples on the Web The health and mortality data used to create these reports are collected from governments, hospitals, and other sources all over the world, with the latest iteration up through 2021. Ed Cara / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Worldwide suicide mortality trends analysis across 183 countries has revealed that between 2000 and 2019, men were twice as likely as women to take their own lives. Luba Kassova, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 Last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries reported that there were four humpback whale mortalities in Virginia, and two mortalities found offshore. USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Although famine-level hunger now exists throughout much of Gaza, and malnutrition is rising rapidly, this crisis has not yet translated into widespread excess mortality. Hardin Lang, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2024 Former inmates said mortality in the jail was high, and death remained a constant shadow even after release. Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 In Sandberg’s fantastical compositions, body and environment nearly meld while eternity and mortality diverge. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 There is no way to know what the firearm mortality or injury rate would be today had there been more federal support for strategies to contain it. Christine Spolar, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 The number of humpback whale mortalities along the Atlantic coast has increased since 2016, with the NOAA reporting 37 humpback whale deaths observed in Atlantic states from Maine to Florida. USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mortality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mortality was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mortality

Cite this Entry

“Mortality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortality. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mortality

noun
mor·​tal·​i·​ty mȯr-ˈtal-ət-ē How to pronounce mortality (audio)
plural mortalities
1
: the quality or state of being mortal
2
: the death of large numbers (as of animals or people)
3
a
: the number of deaths in a given time or place
b
: the ratio of deaths occurring in a certain time in a given population to the number of individuals in the population

Medical Definition

mortality

noun
mor·​tal·​i·​ty mȯr-ˈtal-ət-ē How to pronounce mortality (audio)
plural mortalities
1
: the quality or state of being mortal
2
: the number of deaths in a population during a given time or place : the proportion of deaths to population : mortality rate compare morbidity sense 2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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